Do you keep the dominant rooster or the submissive rooster?

[Lobzi]

Quote:
That's good to know as Roo is submissive even to Chickie. Somehow I think she'd be the the protector in the family as she is the one to chase the wild birds out of the pen not Roo. I'm thinking just having him with her would be a predator deterrent, dom or non-dom.

 

[Henrietta23]

Quote:
That's good to know as Roo is submissive even to Chickie. Somehow I think she'd be the the protector in the family as she is the one to chase the wild birds out of the pen not Roo. I'm thinking just having him with her would be a predator deterrent, dom or non-dom.

This little guy is submissive to the hens that were here before him. The pullets are a little younger than he is but all a little larger. He's a silkie and I don't have any silkie hens. He's terrified of my ducks! They're twice his size. But when that cat's in my yard, he's all business.

 

[chickenbike]

Wow, lots of feedback, thanks guys. I'm wondering if I should give things another week or so, just to see if there are any further behavior changes, then make the decision?

I just have the two roosters and two hens, all siblings. (That's all we had hatch last spring, we'll hatch more this coming spring). Therefore, I'm keeping a close eye on things so the 2 girls aren't picked on. They all sleep fine, using the roost bar and even piling together at times.

It's just first thing in the morning, when I drop the ladder. The big guy crows and sort of gives a 2 foot chase to the other three, then nothing. Sometimes in the afternoon, there's the same 1 minute scuttle. The big guy definitely gives himself first dibs in the treats, but then, he's always done that since they were chicks. Always not afraid and coming over to check things out right away.

The dominant hen has buddied with the dominant roo, and the submissive hen has buddied with the submissive roo.

 

[Barnyard]

Well I am on the other side of the fence then everyone else. I kept the more dominant one and got rid of the submissive one. I guess my line of thinking was the dom. would be a better "server" to his women. So far that has been true. There is not a mean bone in his body... so to each his own.

 

[kevinmccal]

I currently have 19 chickens, 5 of which are roosters, 3 of which are mature. All three of the mature rooters crow. I have so many roosters simply because I do hatch eggs and grow my flock. I only wish to have 2 or 3 max. There is a definite pecking order and they get along just fine. Anyone need a rooster?